Nagato's sudden invitation caught Liumu completely off guard.
He had intended to sound out Nagato's true thoughts, only to nearly get Liumu himself roped in.
Faced with the invitation, Liumu still shook his head.
"Are you still going to turn us down? You're a Chunin now, not the little kid who had only just become a Genin."
In the eyes of Yahiko and the other two, their youngest fellow student possessed unfathomable strength.
And although he was young, his mind was by no means as immature as an ordinary child's.
Nagato would bear the brunt of the Later Akatsuki's plans, but if they could bring Liumu into the organization as well, things would surely turn out even better than Liumu had described.
But...
"Yes, I'm afraid I'll have to refuse again."
Liumu smiled faintly, took a bundle wrapped in black cloth from the ninja tool pouch behind him, and handed it to Nagato.
When Nagato opened it, he discovered a neatly arranged collection of rings engraved with characters.
"What's this?"
Seeing Nagato's confusion, Liumu took the ring engraved with "Zero" from the pouch and slipped it onto Nagato's hand. "I have my own concerns about joining."
Nagato did not understand the concerns Liumu spoke of, but as he looked at the "Zero" on the ring...
"Zero is the beginning and the end. As the Land of Rain's sharpest dagger, Zero will be your codename."
As he spoke, Liumu took the ring bearing the codename "White" from Nagato's hand and said, "Don't forget the ideal you just spoke of. I'll put my faith in you this once. As for that plan I mentioned, there's no rush. Before that, study hard and learn how to use those eyes of yours."
Even Konoha, which possessed the Sharingan, knew very little about the Rinnegan's